No offers on our house

[housetales]

Our house has been on the market for 2 months - launching as the school holidays started which I think was a huge mistake - with what I'd describe as a handful of viewings (mostly right as it went live).

The price it's been listed at was the agent's price, not ours, and when compared with others locally, doesn't seem OTT. All the agents who came round gave similar valuations too. No viewers have said upon viewing it that it is overpriced either.

We had only one bit of negative feedback and it was only from a couple of viewers, not all - that we are overlooked from the side of our property - so we purchased some 10ft trees to allay that concern.

I'm putting myself out there with a link to see what you guys think so be gentle! Should we stay on the market or take it off for now? I should say we only went on the market as we fancied a project for our forever home and were told there was a massive opportunity in our price range as there is such limited supply.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110082437#/?channel=RES_BUY

SimonedeBeauvoirscat makes excellent analysis of each photo. Don't think I disagree with anything she's said.

I should add that I did consider moving to SC in order for DD to go to a grammar school so not a snob about the area at all!

Ok so essay incoming. I’m not sure why I’m so invested!! Bit I have skimmed 8 pages of this thread so here goes.

Biggest thing for me is the kitchen. The tall units that would be behind you if you were standing at the sink - they are not in your pictures at all. The only reason I saw them is because a PP mentioned seeing them in the vid, and generally speaking I would bother with vids. I agree kitchen is underwhelming, but seeing those units in the pics would make a difference to me.

The rooms I like the best are the ones with a bit of colour. I agree that it’s too neutral/too decluttered. I know there’s a fine balance!! But just a bit too far for me. I want to see how I could live there, but a super tidy version of that makes sense? I can’t see anything on your kitchen counters at all. And above the oven, I get that it’s a feature with it being that height, but you could make something of it rather than it just be empty? A few book shelves maybe rather than pictures?

I appreciate the dogs limit what you may like to do out the back. Could you add in some raised beds, brick built ones? Or as a PP said, big pots.

The bathrooms are not to my taste - possibly due to them being SO white and all ours have dark tiles in. I know most people will decorate but I find the expanse of neutral in a house that size just a bit too much to bear. You could add some brightly coloured towels/accessories in the bathrooms to break it up a bit.

Right. So super picky here. But the flowers in the kitchen… I just have something against that type of flower. Are they chrysanthemums? I just find them cheap and a bit naff. DH buys them for me and I just don’t have the heart to tell him!! For a few quid more you can get a really nice bunch that would look so much more the part.

Also, agree with others, far too many pictures. Cutting them back a bit should help.

I actually don’t think the garden is that overlooked considering the age of the development.

I really hope for your sake it’s just bad timing and now schools are back things will pick up. Best of luck!!!

… and get a better photographer !!! Almost missed the most important bit

Kitchen and bathrooms are bland and outdated.

The patio doors have too much of a step down.

@SimonedeBeauvoirscat

Pic 29: chair, crib (presumably empty? No signs of actual family life anywhere)

Pic 30: child’s room

Pic 31: light fitting it looks like I would bash my head on going down stairs. Is it a very steep staircase? The pics both up and down make it look steep

Pic 32: ditto

Pics 33-35: I’m intrigued by the lack of an upstairs back window, it really draws the eye. Is there a hidden room?!

36-41: sex pond

42: hidden upstairs dungeon room again

Nope, there is a little boy asleep in the cot right now!

Light fitting goes in the void in the middle of the stairs. No way you can clunk your head on it!

Stairs aren't steep at all. Husband is 6' 5 and doesn't have to duck at any point in this house.

No hidden room - windows to both side aspects. I want to say sex dungeon to go with my sex pond but nope. Just windows either side, probably a condition of planning when the developer built?

Sex pond - well errr yes for some maybe. But for me a meditative space for self-reflection or where I go with my can of G&T from M&S.

Still no dungeon. Perhaps I should consider a loft conversion to add one?

I love love the garden and the exterior of your house is beautiful! The inside does not wow me at all, the bathrooms especially are boring.
I really hope you find a buyer soon though op! Best of luck!

The champagne shot is cringe and Veuve Cliquot is Sloane ranger 1990s choice- so it adds a bit to the dated feel (and the glasses are from Ikea and were 15p each at 1 point)

Gosh, who knew Sutton Coldfield was so expensive...

I would say you have these issues:

1. Kitchen is not luxurious in the slightest - a 1.3 million house needs a wow kitchen and this really isn't one. I would actually call it basic - the worktop is laminate! - and to be honest, it looks dated. The French windows in particular make it look old fashioned - I would imagine most people looking at this style of house would expect bi-fold doors. I wouldn't want to pay 1.3 million and then immediately have to spend upwards of 20k on a new kitchen.

1. It's got a tiny, overlooked garden for the size of house. A 5 bed house needs a proper garden, in my view. It's also got no plants, shrubs, etc. In your area, large houses at that price point all have large, established gardens.

1. Being on a gated private road would actually turn me off. You call it a private road, I call it a mini housing estate. 1.3 mil to live on a new build housing estate with neighbours' houses encroaching on me from every angle? No thanks.

1. It's a newish build, not a brand spanking new build with a high-spec kitchen and bathrooms, underfloor heating, bi-fold doors, etc. It's just old enough to be starting to look dated and to lack the latest luxury gadgets, features, fixtures and fittings more recent new builds now all have. So people with this budget who want a modern house are more likely to go for something actually new rather than 10/15 years old, as they're going to get more for their money and a kitchen/bathroom etc that won't need replacing for quite some time.

In summary, OP, looking at other properties in your area, you're falling into a bit of a no man's land in the property market. I should think people with your budget will either want an actually new new-build or a property with some history and period features. You're offering a slightly dated c. 2005-ish house with none of the latest architectural features, kitchen and bathroom fittings that are currently desirable, and with hardly any outdoor space relative to the size of the house. You seem to think that being on a private road makes up for your house's failings compared to other similarly priced properties, but to be honest, I think you're being unrealistic. In my view, the price needs to drop by 100k to make it tempting to buyers in what seems to be a local market that has plenty of housing stock of this size with much more outside space than yours for the same price or less.

Lovely house, but at that price I'd want the house to be "done". There are huge labour and material shortages at the moment that make a bathroom/kitchen renovation really off-putting. It's not something a price drop would necessarily address.

You’ve got three kids? How? I can’t work out where your bedrooms are. If this is a family home it looks more like grandmas house that she hasn’t updated and the kids are long gone.

Master bedroom? Kids rooms? The bedrooms look pokey.

I can’t even tell what is downstairs. Just three rooms? Where is the fridge kept, utility room?

Why is there a microwave or something in one pic and not another.

Your house looks tiny on the inside compared to the outside.

Way to many pictures, somewhat.

Your kitchen is kind of dated at that price range people are expecting
Induction Hob
Built in appliances
Fancy taps instant hot water
The Hob thingy and ovens look dated
Your utility room is dated. The Washing machine isn’t fitted, it’s just sat there sticking out. The fittings look cheap
You’re asking premium price for not premium finishes

@Tooembarrassingtomention

The champagne shot is cringe and Veuve Cliquot is Sloane ranger 1990s choice- so it adds a bit to the dated feel (and the glasses are from Ikea and were 15p each at 1 point)

Oh and the 3 glasses don't match. 2 are the Ikea cheapies and 1 looks like you brought it home from the pub

If you are selling an aspirational lifestyle through a photo- then it has to be aspirational.

I thought it all seemed very bland, I'm sorry. Also rolled my eyes at the lifestyle shots of the piano and the champagne. For that kind of money I would be expecting some kind of wow factor or interesting features that just aren't there.

Sorry back to kitchen / bathrooms

Kitchen - are there only 1.5 ovens? That would be small for size of house. What is the kitchen work too made out of? It looks like a laminate. The kitchen doesn’t flow well and why is the fridge in the laundry room.

Bathrooms - sinks small, tiling dated - what do the showers look like?

Garden small for size of house and has no plants.

@Tooembarrassingtomention

The champagne shot is cringe and Veuve Cliquot is Sloane ranger 1990s choice- so it adds a bit to the dated feel (and the glasses are from Ikea and were 15p each at 1 point)

I paid £1 each I've have you know. And you've just pinpointed I was going out in the 90s. I still drink it!

Bear in mind, a photographer shot these images, not me!

You’re a remarkably good humoured poster. It’s got an ouch factor reading all this
Worktops look cheap too

This is my price range and I’d expect better spec

@EspressoDoubleShot

Your kitchen is kind of dated at that price range people are expecting Induction Hob Built in appliances Fancy taps instant hot water The Hob thingy and ovens look dated Your utility room is dated. The Washing machine isn’t fitted, it’s just sat there sticking out. The fittings look cheap You’re asking premium price for not premium finishes

The appliances are built in and integrated. I do have a hot water tap! Come on, I'll take the criticisms but give me a few points for the bits we've done!

@EnidSpyton

Gosh, who knew Sutton Coldfield was so expensive...

I would say you have these issues:

1. Kitchen is not luxurious in the slightest - a 1.3 million house needs a wow kitchen and this really isn't one. I would actually call it basic - the worktop is laminate! - and to be honest, it looks dated. The French windows in particular make it look old fashioned - I would imagine most people looking at this style of house would expect bi-fold doors. I wouldn't want to pay 1.3 million and then immediately have to spend upwards of 20k on a new kitchen.

1. It's got a tiny, overlooked garden for the size of house. A 5 bed house needs a proper garden, in my view. It's also got no plants, shrubs, etc. In your area, large houses at that price point all have large, established gardens.

1. Being on a gated private road would actually turn me off. You call it a private road, I call it a mini housing estate. 1.3 mil to live on a new build housing estate with neighbours' houses encroaching on me from every angle? No thanks.

1. It's a newish build, not a brand spanking new build with a high-spec kitchen and bathrooms, underfloor heating, bi-fold doors, etc. It's just old enough to be starting to look dated and to lack the latest luxury gadgets, features, fixtures and fittings more recent new builds now all have. So people with this budget who want a modern house are more likely to go for something actually new rather than 10/15 years old, as they're going to get more for their money and a kitchen/bathroom etc that won't need replacing for quite some time.

In summary, OP, looking at other properties in your area, you're falling into a bit of a no man's land in the property market. I should think people with your budget will either want an actually new new-build or a property with some history and period features. You're offering a slightly dated c. 2005-ish house with none of the latest architectural features, kitchen and bathroom fittings that are currently desirable, and with hardly any outdoor space relative to the size of the house. You seem to think that being on a private road makes up for your house's failings compared to other similarly priced properties, but to be honest, I think you're being unrealistic. In my view, the price needs to drop by 100k to make it tempting to buyers in what seems to be a local market that has plenty of housing stock of this size with much more outside space than yours for the same price or less.

I’ve made a decent sum out of houses in your price range, although not area.

This posters comments hit the nail on the head.

The house is not worth the asking price, tbh I think £100k off is not enough. I know the area but not well enough to be 100% confident, but I suspect you need to be at £999,999 to get a reasonably quick sale

For £1.35 million Most people would either want a rural idyll, or city centre, you’re in no mans land

@EspressoDoubleShot

You’re a remarkably good humoured poster. It’s got an ouch factor reading all this Worktops look cheap too

This is my price range and I’d expect better spec

Oh I've got a sweat on from all this but you know what, I knew at the very least the feedback would be bloody honest! That's what we need so I've got my big girl pants on and I'm taking it like a champ.

Gosh, who knew Sutton Coldfield was so expensive..

I am nowhere near the midlands and have never lived there, but even I know that Sutton Coldfield is expensive!

Besides which, the OP has told us that there are houses far more expensive than hers in the area.

In all honesty l, it doesn’t look like a home. It’s too sterile and lacking homely touches. Will mean potential viewers can’t envisage what it would be like to live there.

The appliances are built in and integrated. No built in integrated means seamless not on show. Concealed behind flush door. Your washing machine isn’t flush or integrated it’s just sat there at a different angle to other things

Sure you have a water tap but not a fancy tap

For million plus these things matter

It's the kitchen.

Why are you moving? it's a lovely house

Likely timing has something to do with it. I put mine on the market last august - it went on just as all the hot weather hit and people had better things to do than trawl right move.
While it was quiet I decorated a room and moved a few things around, couple of new carpets too - first person to view it after the changes bought it.

Personally I'd take out a few of the photos. There's too many plus a lot seem to be almost duplicates of each other, just taken from a few cm further back. A few of the photos are just pointless.

I'd echo what others have said about the kitchen. It's really not to the standard people want. Although it's likely people happy to pay that amount are also happy to pay for a brand new top of the range kitchen.